Assessment Philosophy 1

Philosophy of Assessment Statement

EDUC 5913 E- Measurement and Evaluation

Jessica Barna

Friday, March 2nd, 2018

Assessment Philosophy 2

Intro

Assessment plays an important role in the classroom for not only teachers but for

students as well. One of the main reasons teachers assess students is to improve students

learning. Throughout the course, many of my opinions on assessment have stayed the same

while other have changed. With my current knowledge, class discussions and readings, I have

concluded my thoughts on a variety of assessment philosophies. In this statement, I will be

sharing my beliefs on assessment, grades and homework.

Methods of assessment

It is not only important for students to be assessed but also for the teacher to assess the

effectiveness of their lessons and instructions. This is known as assessment for learning.

Teachers collect evidence or information from the students which will inform teachers their

next teaching steps. (Davies, 2011, p.2) During my practicum, I did a lot of assessment for

learning and self-assessment because I wanted to make sure I was not covering the material

too quickly. I also wanted to make sure that my approach to teaching a new concept was

effective and engaging. I would do this my observing students work and asking students

questions. If I saw the majority didn’t understand than I knew I had to find a way to reteach the

subject in a different way. If only a few students demonstrated that they need more instruction,

I would create learning centers that would allow me to work with a small group of students

while the rest of the class worked independently or with a partner on an assigned task.

Additionally, teachers should continuously be assessing students (formative

assessment). There are three general approaches of assessment for the classroom, observation,
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product and conversation. (Davies, 2011, p.45) These approaches to assessment are also known

as triangulation. During observation, the teacher not only observes but takes notes using a

checklist or anecdotal notes to be able to record the information for use at any given time.

During my practicum, I did a lot of assessment through conversation, asking students how or

why can help determine if students are grasping new concepts without having to give them a

test. Conversation between a teacher and students allows teachers to gather evidence about

what students understand in relation to the standards or outcomes. (Herbert & Davies, p.21)

Furthermore, the teacher can also collect student’s projects, notebooks, assignment… to see if

they are understanding the material being taught. If a teacher looks through numerous

notebooks and notices that many students are making the same mistake, the teacher can

conclude that many students don’t understand a concept, therefore, the teacher will have to

reteach the material.

At the end of a unit, teachers give students a standardize test which is known as

assessment of learning or a summative evaluation. Summative assessment is used at the end of

a unit to demonstrate whether or not students have met the standards. Instead of giving out

tests, which causes a lot of anxiety for many students, teachers should ask students to

complete projects, hands on activities, written or oral assignments…Finding other methods to

evaluate students allows students to demonstrate their learning in a way that best suits them.

Rubric vs criteria

During this course, I did a presentation on the advantages and disadvantages of rubric

and criteria. My group and I came to the consensus that for elementary students, criteria or a
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checklist would be easier for students to follow. One of the main reasons that we choose

criteria over a rubric was because rubrics use description words. Descriptive words are known

as the words that change at each level, for example, rarely, sometimes, usually, always. It is

difficult for students to differentiate between each level and understand the meaning of each

descriptor. With criteria or checklist, the students are either missing the required component or

it is implemented into their work. Additionally, I believe it is important to incorporate students

into the creation of the criteria. Therefore, students will have a clear understanding of elements

of their learning are important and teacher will learn about what students know. (Davies)

Students will also feel as though they contribute to their learning and method of evaluation.

Furthermore, before handing their work in to the teacher or receiving feedback from

the teacher students can use criteria or a check list as a self-assessment tool. Self-assessment

allows students to reflect on their learning and to find tools on how they can improve their

work. Self-assessment can be in the form of individual checklist, journal entries, conferences,

exit slips….

Grades

When students receive a test or an assignment, the first thing they look for is the grade,

either in a letter format, percentage or 1-4 rating scale. If students receive a grade that they are

satisfied with, that assignment gets put into their binder and never touched again unless

needed. Also, when assignments are redistributed, students tend to compare their grades with

their peers. I believe that any form of assessment should not be graded or at least the grade

should not be visible to students. Instead of looking for a grade, students should be reviewing
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their assignment and looking for feedback provided by the teacher. If students didn’t answer a

question correctly, then they must re do the question whether they received an A or a C. When

teachers provide descriptive feedback, students can use the provided information to adjust

their work to become more successful and learn from their mistakes. (Davies, 2011, p.16) This

method of assessment is known as assessment as learning. The teacher provides students with

feedback and it is the students’ responsibility to seek help to improve their understanding of

outcomes. Research has shown that feedback is the key to achieving greater learning. (Wiggins,

2012) Grades do not give students the proper tools to succeed, however, effective feedback

from the teacher can help students reach their personal and academic goals.

Homework

Teachers are not always aware of a student’s home life. Some students may come home

to a list of responsibilities and no have time to complete homework. Not because they don’t

want to but because they do not have the time or the resources. If a teacher assigned

homework and the student did not complete their homework, the student could come to

school the next day feeling anxious or ashamed. (Brant & Eskelä-Haapanen, 2015, p.2)

However, if students need extra help or recourses and the child’s guardians are willing

to work on material at home, sending work sheets or further instruction can be beneficial to

the child academic success. I believe that is it important to send students home with books. I

will encourage my students to read at home; however, if they do not read at home they will not

receive any consequences.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, triangulation will be my main source of assessment. Observation,

collecting students work and having conferences or discussions with students will not only be

beneficial to indicate students’ academic success but will also aid the teacher in becoming a

more effective teacher. Although I have expressed my beliefs on assessment, grades and

homework my beliefs are subject to change as I gain valuable experience in the classroom and

continue to do research on best practice.

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References

Brant, S., & Eskelä-Haapanen, S. (July 01, 2015). HOW SHOULD WE APPROACH
HOMEWORK?. Literacy Today (2411-7862), 33, 1.)

Davies, A. (2011). Making Classroom Assessment Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press

Herbst, Sandra and Davies, Anne. (2016) Grading, Reporting, and Professional Judgment in
Elementary Classrooms. Courtenay, BC: Connections Publishing.

Wiggins, G. (September 01, 2012). 7 Keys to Effective FEEDBACK. Educational Leadership, 70, 1.)